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“No. You’re usually brutally honest.”
“Brutally?”
“Well, you’re not mean about it.”
“Hmm.” He looked at the photo again. “You did good, Sydney.”
“One out of fifty pictures I took today.”
“Hey. That’s how it goes sometimes. But we’re not done. Let’s do another.”
Chapter three
"You know I have things."
Sydney had stayed until almost midnight, leaving Gage with a few more photographs to develop. So she was surprised when she got to the office and saw his truck parked on the street. She went inside and found him asleep on the couch in his office. She watched him for a moment.
He was a really good-looking man, with his wavy brown hair always looking like he’d just come from the barber. And his facial hair was perfectly trimmed. She’d never once seen him looking rumpled or even slightly disheveled. Even asleep, he looked perfect.
She sighed. She hated that she felt so deeply for him. He was only going to keep breaking her heart. He didn’t do itintentionally. He had no clue how she felt. He just didn’t have time for anyone but himself. Which sounded like he was conceited. But that wasn’t it. He was totally absorbed with his own thoughts and the need for perfection. She felt sorry for him because he was never going to be able to say, “that’s perfect. I did it.”
He stirred, and she noticed his feet sticking out of the end of the blanket. His socks were mismatched with one gray one and one black one. Not a terrible oversight for most people. But for Gage, impossible. He opened his eyes, and she gave him a smile.
“Morning, boss.”
He rolled onto his back and stretched. “What time is it?”
“Eight-thirty. You didn’t go home last night?”
He sat up. “I lost track of time downstairs and when I realized how late it was, I figured I might as well stay.”
“I’ll get you some coffee.”
He nodded, and she left his office to start the coffee machine. When she didn’t see his favorite mug, she remembered he had it downstairs last night. She headed for the stairs. She needed to go get it. While she was in the basement, Gage called down to her.
“What are you doing down there?”
“Getting your mug.”
“Oh. Thanks. Bring that stack of photos up. I want to go over them with you.”
She went to the counter and picked up the photographs. The first one they developed last night was on the top. She smiled. It was a really great picture. She headed upstairs with the photos and the two mugs they’d used last night.
Gage had retreated to his office again, and after washing his mug and pouring him a fresh cup of coffee, she brought the photos into him. If she hadn’t seen him asleep ten minutes ago, she never would’ve guessed he just woke up. He’d changed his shirt and probably combed his hair, but it didn’t really need it.How can he look so perfect andawake?She handed him the coffee and set the pictures on his desk.
He took a sip of coffee, then motioned toward the chair in front of his desk. “Have a seat.”
Sydney sat and crossed her legs, then sighed before asking him the question she was dying to get an answer to. “I’m sorry. But I need to ask about your socks.”
Gage laughed. “My socks?”
“Yes. They don’t match. Which seems really out of character for you.”
He leaned back in his seat and drank some more coffee. “It’s just one of my things. You know I have things.”
“Yes.”
“That’s one of them. Started back in grade school. Now, I can’t leave the house any other way.”
